Yoga certification?

I'll be moving to England soon, and know that yoga will help keep me positive. But getting certified to teach it would be taking it one step further. Part of my new and improved outlook includes lots of exercise and staying in good shape. 

I've always thought about getting certified to teach yoga, and was wondering if anyone here has any experience with that process?

Hiya

I don't have any experience in it myself BUT I have looked into and was told that, depending on how many years of practice you have, taking an introductory course is the first step.  If you go to the British Wheel website, it has loads of info and you can contact a local yoga studio in your area that should be able to either provide you with the course OR put you in contact with a studio that can

Hope that helps!

Thank you, swelch! I'll definitely check out that website. 

I recently started looking in to this. It is slightly overwhelming, but something I would really like to do over the next few years.

I too have been looking at the training through the British Wheel of Yoga. This seems to be the most regulated and widely accepted qualification in the UK. It does take a bit of time, however. The course at a studio in my area requires a foundation course (6 months--1 full day per month for a total of 60 hours) and then the teacher training diploma course which runs over 2 1/2 years (1 full day every 2-3 weeks). The entry requirements for the foundation course is generally 2 years of yoga practice. I haven't enquired about whether the 2 years should have been done at this particular studio or not. I mostly do yoga at the gym (really good teacher at my gym, and haven't had the money to join both the gym and a yoga studio) so I don't know if they will look down on that.

It seems to me that the situation in the UK is slightly different than that of the US, where there are lots of different certification options, some which are significantly more involved than others, although I could be wrong. I know my friend managed to get certified to teach yoga in a matter of a couple of months. I have no idea what her training was like. I also believe that this is something that is starting to change. I just saw this article in the NY Times a few weeks ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/11/nyregion/11yoga.html

I still have a lot of practicing to go before I would be ready to sign up. Recently I have been able to get to class 3-4 times a week, which is great, but I am trying to work on doing a daily practice at home.

I don't think my yoga teacher is certified by a UK body, she learned Bikrams yoga and Yin Yang yoga abroad and teaches here no problem.

This may depend on whether you're interested in doing classes in a gym or setting up on your own. Good luck whatever you choose!

I have been considering doing this for years, but I'm really afraid that my practice isn't strong enough. With yoga it is so much more than the physical practice and though I love to do it for myself, I'm not sure I could impart the spiritual aspect to a group. Because of this, I am now strongly considering undertaking a Pilates certification when we move to the US next year.

I too have been looking at the training through the British Wheel of Yoga. This seems to be the most regulated and widely accepted qualification in the UK. It does take a bit of time, however. The course at a studio in my area requires a foundation course (6 months--1 full day per month for a total of 60 hours) and then the teacher training diploma course which runs over 2 1/2 years (1 full day every 2-3 weeks). The entry requirements for the foundation course is generally 2 years of yoga practice. I haven't enquired about whether the 2 years should have been done at this particular studio or not. I mostly do yoga at the gym (really good teacher at my gym, and haven't had the money to join both the gym and a yoga studio) so I don't know if they will look down on that.

I don't think you will need to have the 2 years of practice specifically at that school.  When I talked to my yoga studio, they just said 2 years in general   Good luck!!! 

I just saw this article in the NY Times a few weeks ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/11/nyregion/11yoga.html

Thanks for that link. It's interesting to think about this from the regulation perspective. Plus everyone goes to a yoga class for different reasons, and every teacher (that I've ever had, anyway) has been so very, very different from the next.

Good luck whatever you choose!

Thanks!

I have been considering doing this for years, but I'm really afraid that my practice isn't strong enough. With yoga it is so much more than the physical practice and though I love to do it for myself, I'm not sure I could impart the spiritual aspect to a group. Because of this, I am now strongly considering undertaking a Pilates certification when we move to the US next year.

I know what you mean about imparting the spiritual aspect to a group, and how you'd need to have that absolute commitment. Good luck to you if you go for Pilates certification!